[3.0/.5] has anyone tried xcrawl?

[Fjolnir]

It seems like an interesting world is it worth trying out on a group of experienced players if you're DMing for the first time?
any impressions/advice you can give me would be good

[overduegalaxy]

I've been trying to convince my group to give it a try for almost a year now, but for some reason, they think it's a silly campaign setting.

[RTGoodman]

My old college gaming group used to play almost exclusively in XCrawl the last semester or so I was there, so I know a bit about it. It's kind of a weird setting for some people to get into, but it's really neat as a way to get out of the standard game of crawling through actual dungeons.

There've been a couple of threads about it here in the Playground (mine here, and then a couple that I think got eaten when we cleared out old threads a while back), but there's not many that know about it.

I managed to pick up all of the books for it (not the adventures, though) when Goodman Games sold all their 3.x/d20 stuff for cheap last year, so I CAN answer any questions anyone might have.

QUOTE=overduegalaxy;5926137]I've been trying to convince my group to give it a try for almost a year now, but for some reason, they think it's a silly campaign setting.[/QUOTE]

Oh, it IS a silly campaign setting, but it's hella fun, too. I love it.

[Ascension]

Isn't it the setting where D&D dungeon crawls are a reality TV series for aliens and the players are abductee contestants or something?

[RTGoodman]

Isn't it the setting where D&D dungeon crawls are a reality TV series for aliens and the players are abductee contestants or something?

Not quite. Have you ever watched professional wrestling (WWF/WWE, etc.), American Gladiators, or Legends of the Hidden Temple? That's basically what XCrawl is.

The setting itself is an alternate history version of modern Earth. The Roman Pantheon really exist and are the main religion, while there's strange 2000-year old One God cult that still functions in shadows since it's outlawed. The North American Empire, led by King Ronald (who's supposed to be Ronald Reagan, I believe) is the home of a "sport" known as XCrawl, wherein teams of contestants (of various racial backgrounds and abilities) join together to try to finish the obstacle course in the fastest time. The demihuman races (Dwarves, Orcs, Elves, etc.) all have a place in the world, as do most monstrous races/species. (For the latter, that place is usually inside the Crawls as enemies.)

In the "Crawls" (what the events are called), participating teams have to outwit traps, battle their way through enemies, and solve puzzles. Lower-tier (beginner) Crawls are usually non-lethal, but the big leagues feature deadly monsters and full-contact combat, and survival isn't guaranteed. These Crawls are broadcast on international "television" (I don't remember the magitech word they use in the setting), and high-level Crawlers (and their teams) are big-time celebs.

All of the "adventuring" in XCrawl takes place inside the Crawls, though outside these characters have the opportunity to make a name for themselves through advertising, media appearances, and stuff like that. The setting book, of course, makes some hints about the Drow planning some massive incursion to take over the world (I think they're gonna break through near Australia, IIRC), so I suppose you could make an "outside-the-Crawl" arc if you wanted.

If any of that sounds interesting to you, I'd suggest at least taking a look through the setting if you can still find it. I know the original company went under or got bought out, and then Goodman Games stopped selling it along with their other 3.x/d20 stuff, but you can probably find hard copies on Amazon/eBay.

[Ascension]

Ah, so it is a television show, but more sports than reality TV and without the aliens.

[Waspinator]

It's basically reality TV meets Roman gladiator arena fighting meets contrived dungeon crawling.